Prediabetes with symptoms

[Jannor]

Hi all

I was diagnosed with prediabetes 3 months ago and have been trying to sort with diet and am due for next bloods next week.

I tested main test at 7.2 twice I think. The HBA1C test I had 3 months ago was 5. BUT I'd had a really ill period just before it and wondered if it was diabetes related so hadn't eaten sugar for 5 days before it. Told nurse that when he said it was strange.

What's confusing me now is nurse said I shouldn't be having symptoms with my readings. But I work with a diabetic and I am having symptoms, I've described them to her and she says they sound like it. I've been having the "dizzy" feeling for over 2 years and even mentioned it to GP about a year ago but he didn't seem worried and said it could be anything. Now I know it means I need to eat - thanks to the lady at work.

I've had lots of ill phases where I've felt drained and not slept because I've had to go to the loo every 15 mins all night long as well. Not had that since I changed diet though

My eyes are strained at moment too - despite only getting new glasses in January. Going to opticians Saturday to see if he can see anything.

I had a bad migraine 2 weeks ago - I think its because I went to Pizza Hut and drank coke and had a dessert, things I don't usually do.

anyway, just looking for opinions really before I see GP again and no doubt get brushed off. I work full time so if I need meds I'll have to them - I don't want to keep having time off sick with stuff if I can help it.

I've lost almost a stone on this diet change but I wasn't overweight in the first place.

I've been on minimum dose statins for around 9 months because I couldn't' get my cholesterol down through diet. I do have a strong family history of heart problems though. But no family history of diabetes so I don't know where this came from.

hope I've mentioned everything relevant!

 

[dawnmc]

It's not just the visible sugar or what we think of as being typically sugar. Carbs are sugar, rice, pasta, bread, anything with flour in.
Increasing protein like chicken, steak, bacon while increasing good fats from olive oil, avocado and eggs. Eating the green veg - all that grows above ground is the way to go. No junk etc. And its a fallacy that eating fat makes you fat or gives you high cholesterol.
Shop on the edge of the supermarket.
It does get easier, all it means is eating good grub.
I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago, and I only went to the GP with one dizzy spell.
Google Dr Westman (think that's who it is). And Jenny Ruhl and Lindas low carb for great recipes.

 

[Lazybones]

It would normally be that someone with a fasting B/G reading of 7.2 mmol/L recorded twice in close succession was confirmed as being diabetic, but as your Nurse rightly says, this is not supported by your HbA1c reading of 5%.
As for the dizzyness, would it be the result of your being underweight, for being underweight can also effect B/G levels, sometimes appearing to make them appear as normal (reduced blood capacity) particularly so if the individual has a BMI of less than 20.
Also never miss out on breakfast as this is the most important meal of the day and sets the body up for the day's work ahead. It's easy to skip breakfast and this might be the reason for your periods of dizzyness. Our bodies are designed to process carbohydrate, protiens and fats (in moderation) and carbohydrate is the bodies primary source of glucose energy. I dare say that I'll upset a few on this site by saying this, but seriously cutting back on carbohydrates in not a good thing if someone is underweight. By all means choose foods that have a low GL responce but don't cut out carbohydrates altogether and avoid food/drinks with refined sugars that have high GL ratings, as these will give an initial sugar rush, and a rapid fall, which can also bring about the symptoms of dizzyness.

 

[PhilT]

Our bodies are designed to process carbohydrate

but if we're diabetic or prediabetic that bit has clearly gone wrong.

 

[Jannor]

It would normally be that someone with a fasting B/G reading of 7.2 mmol/L recorded twice in close succession was confirmed as being diabetic, but as your Nurse rightly says, this is not supported by your HbA1c reading of 5%.
As for the dizzyness, would it be the result of your being underweight, for being underweight can also effect B/G levels, sometimes appearing to make them appear as normal (reduced blood capacity) particularly so if the individual has a BMI of less than 20.
Also never miss out on breakfast as this is the most important meal of the day and sets the body up for the day's work ahead. It's easy to skip breakfast and this might be the reason for your periods of dizzyness. Our bodies are designed to process carbohydrate, protiens and fats (in moderation) and carbohydrate is the bodies primary source of glucose energy. I dare say that I'll upset a few on this site by saying this, but seriously cutting back on carbohydrates in not a good thing if someone is underweight. By all means choose foods that have a low GL responce but don't cut out carbohydrates altogether and avoid food/drinks with refined sugars that have high GL ratings, as these will give an initial sugar rush, and a rapid fall, which can also bring about the symptoms of dizzyness.

Thanks for reply.

I'm not currently very underweight, size 10 now. But I probably was 2 years ago when the dizziness first started (size 6/8) as I lost a lot of weight and seemed to have a thyroid problem - but by the time the GP tested it the second time, it was showing normal and as I put some weight back on afterwards, and still tested normal, it was deemed ok. When I was very underweight I had the dizzy spells all the time - but as I was a carer then and not working I just went to bed until they passed.

Now, I only seem to have the dizzy spells in the morning so I think you are right about breakfast too - I have coffee at 7, then the Belvista biscuit breakfast things at 9 - which is usually ok. But if I get busy first thing and eat later, or have lunch late if I'm busy, then I get dizzy spells.

So .. maybe more breakfast needed - although I hate to eat first thing!

I'll see what the optician says tomorrow too - it was him who warned me about cholesterol last Jan.

 

[Jannor]

It's not just the visible sugar or what we think of as being typically sugar. Carbs are sugar, rice, pasta, bread, anything with flour in.
Increasing protein like chicken, steak, bacon while increasing good fats from olive oil, avocado and eggs. Eating the green veg - all that grows above ground is the way to go. No junk etc. And its a fallacy that eating fat makes you fat or gives you high cholesterol.
Shop on the edge of the supermarket.
It does get easier, all it means is eating good grub.
I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago, and I only went to the GP with one dizzy spell.
Google Dr Westman (think that's who it is). And Jenny Ruhl and Lindas low carb for great recipes.

Thanks, I'll look at it, reeling a bit from diet sheets and info I've seen on here. Plus from what I've seen, different things seem to work for different people.

 

[Jannor]

Just looked up what a hypo is .. I've had all those symptoms over the past 2 years. thought I was starting the menopause!
:crazy:

 

[Jamrox]

Hi confusing isn't it. I'm type 2 diet controlled. Before I took control and bought a monitor etc, and experimented with foods to see what caused my sugars to rise , I thought what I was experiencing were low sugar symptoms or even menopausal symptoms.
Hot , sweaty , unable to concentrate , irritable , generally feeling ill around 2 hours after lunch ( usually brown bread sandwich and crisps.
I was surprised to find that my blood sugars were high not low as the symptoms suggested.
Im now watching my carbs ( not a saint but I chose the ones I want to sometimes cheat with) . I know when ive cheated to much because I feel ill and get the horrible sweaty feeling etc.
To be honest its not hard to reduce potatoes rice etc and have more sauce and veg. The easiest thing Ive found is switching to diet drinks , diet 7 up tastes just the same and super market diet lemon squash is good.
Wish it was as easy to get diet lemonade in pubs though .
Look at the low carb recipes . Have to say that this diabetes site has been a great help for me, one size doesn't fit all and thats why I test and avoid what doesn't work for me.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Jamrox]

Jannor its not crazy I was the same

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[Jannor]

Thanks for reply Jamrox! you sound very similar to me.

I have egg mayo on brown and a small bag of the mixed grapes/apple for lunch. I used to eat lots of bananas but see on here its probably not good for me now.

I need meals to be quick as I get home from work late, I've been replacing chips/potatoes with beans or veg. So like butter beans or broad beans with whatever, and yoghurt for afters.

I seem to be getting away with that so far ... if I'm gonna get hypo like symptoms now its mornings so I have to sort that properly yet.

I drink the no sugar orange squash at home - I can't give that up, I'm kind of addicted to it! I seem OK with sweeteners though so far.

Optician yesterday said he would give me a slightly higher prescription but he thinks it might be the changes in blood sugar doing it, so in a few weeks it could be I'd be better with my old prescription. Think I'll start a new thread on that as I have few questions people will prob know the answers too.

 

[Jannor]

oh and I'll ask the GP when I see him after these next set of bloods, but would I be T2 pre-diabetes as well?

 

[jim70]

Hi confusing isn't it. I'm type 2 diet controlled. Before I took control and bought a monitor etc, and experimented with foods to see what caused my sugars to rise , I thought what I was experiencing were low sugar symptoms or even menopausal symptoms.
Hot , sweaty , unable to concentrate , irritable , generally feeling ill around 2 hours after lunch ( usually brown bread sandwich and crisps.
I was surprised to find that my blood sugars were high not low as the symptoms suggested.
Im now watching my carbs ( not a saint but I chose the ones I want to sometimes cheat with) . I know when ive cheated to much because I feel ill and get the horrible sweaty feeling etc.
To be honest its not hard to reduce potatoes rice etc and have more sauce and veg. The easiest thing Ive found is switching to diet drinks , diet 7 up tastes just the same and super market diet lemon squash is good.
Wish it was as easy to get diet lemonade in pubs though .
Look at the low carb recipes . Have to say that this diabetes site has been a great help for me, one size doesn't fit all and thats why I test and avoid what doesn't work for me.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

What monitor did you buy and was it easy to use? Also, do you know if you can get them free? I need an easy one because my life is soo busy!!

 

[Glink]

You are not the only prediabetic getting diabetes symptoms at readings that are just prediabetic and getting told you "shouldn't" have such symptoms until higher numbers. We've had a couple recent threads here about this.

Have you tested when you are feeling hypo to see if you are low or high? Like a previous poster, I had thought I was getting hypoglycemic episodes (as suggested by a doctor, with no testing at all, because I was thin and also have no family history of diabetes) that turned out to be times of high blood sugar instead! For me, when I don't eat for a long time my liver dumps sugar, apparently. This is why I had to go on medication--diet alone wasn't able to control my fasting high readings.

 

[Alicki]

Me too!!! Neuropathy, thirst, etc


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[Alicki]

With 5.7


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